Influence of Query-Based Decision Aids on Consumer Decision Making in Electronic Commerce

This research investigates the influence of computerized search engines on consumer decision making in the electronic commerce environment. The results indicate that by providing well-designed decision aids to consumers, it is possible to significantly increase consumer confidence, satisfaction, and decision quality. Consumers who have access to query-based decision aids perceive increased cost savings and lower cognitive decision effort associated with the purchase decision. The future challenge in developing consumer-oriented computerized decision aids does not reside in technological advances, but rather in developing systems that are useful and appealing to the intended consumer. This is necessary to avoid consumer perceptions of non-utility, and ultimately non-use of the computerized decision aids. The challenge for marketing managers is to provide consumers with information systems that change over time such that they fulfill the consumers’ short-term needs without sacrificing the consumers’ long-term interests.